This morning, as with most mornings, I woke before everyone in my house. After going for my early walk I sat enjoying my morning coffee in the quiet ~ a favourite part of my day.

Today my thoughts were consumed with the current economic situation in the US. Not only is this crisis affecting the US but also other world markets causing stress and pressure for families and individuals on all sides. Just yesterday I spoke with a girlfriend in Australia and she shared a story with me about a family (we know) who have recently lost their home due to a $600 default on their payments. Thankfully this couple have the determination and strength to rebuild and are already moving in that direction. The effects of this crisis are hitting far too close to home.

Experts are using words like recession, crisis and depression to explain this situation. Some of you reading this understand the meaning of depression. You felt it as your parents lived and negotiated their way through it during the 30’s and 40’s. From what I can understand through conversations and the reading I’ve done most would say that those who lived through the Great Depression never truly recovered. Fear crept in and held lives hostage even when better times arrived.

If we truly are experiencing crisis, recession or the possibility of a depression then my suggestion is that we must all ‘Tighten our Belts’. The uncertainty in the world has reminded us as a family to be mindful of budgeting and as the old adage goes, ‘It’s what you make, not what you save’. Just as companies are watching their bottom lines we too are watching our spending. For us this means watching our dining out, the incidental buying and those ‘everyday treats’ plus making more efficient use of household luxuries. It all makes a difference and our generation is so used to everything being disposable including our incomes. It’s important at times like this, not become overcome by fear but to operate in wisdom.

This brings me to one of thefamilyroom core values, which is coming back to the dining table. As we all ride out this economic confusion let’s not do it alone. Tightening our belts doesn’t mean cutting us off from community rather I believe these are times when community shows it’s wonder. Ride this out together, have people over, eat together (for great recipe ideas visit our blogspot), bring back the games of our childhood like charades, twister, card games and all those fun things we seem to have let go of. Tightening our belts has a way of bringing things and people together so let’s enjoy this season, see it as a time to sow into relationships, to spend time rather than money and enjoy the simpler things in life.

Thanks for checking us out, make sure you come back again and when time permits leave us a quick message (it’s super easy!)

Susan xo

I’ve spent the last few weeks listening intently to the conversations surrounding oil prices and how it is affecting markets around the globe and our own back pockets. I have also spent some of my time listening to and reading articles that are discussing health issues and how we are stacking up in terms of our overall wellbeing.

After much reading and discussion, I thought I would share some of my findings with you. Through my research I discovered two websites that both host very quick but extremely informative online tests ~ one is a financial test and the other a health test. These tests draw very distinct lines showing some of the things we all see with our natural eyes. We all know people who are in their 40s but behave financially like they are in their 20s. Similarly we all know people who are in their 20s but look like they are in their 40s.

Recently, I was speaking at my sister’s women’s conference (Shine) and I shared one of these tests with the women there. I know many of them have since taken the test and have learned valuable information about themselves.

The first test I encourage you to take is the health test. It gives you a clear indication of where you are health-wise, and through the findings you are given great tips and ideas of how to increase your overall heath and well-being. This test is the longer of the two, but it’s well worth the minutes it takes to determine whether or not your health is age-appropriate or if there are things you need to address. For those of you who are familiar with the name Dr. Oz (from the Oprah show) this test is from him so you know it will be good. To find the test visit www.realage.com and follow the prompts.

The second test is What is your Financial Age. This test is extremely quick and asks very pointed questions that extract exact information that will determine your financial age. I found this test very interesting as it caused and reminded me to think about certain financial aspects of my life that tend to slip our minds. For the women at my sister’s conference I know this test was a good wake up call for some of them. To take this test simply visit www.myfinances.co.uk/financial-age-tool.

I know that these tests will provide you, like myself, with amazing information. I discovered that my real age was younger than I am and that my financial age is much older than my current age. All in all I scored pretty well, but as always I know that improvements can be made and I am now more aware than I was a few weeks ago. That is a good thing. Understanding our health and our finances helps us live stronger more confident lives. Who doesn’t want that? Jump online and take the tests and, if you want, drop me a line to let me know if it helped.

Susan

One of Australia’s most loved places to shop for a bargain is the humble garage sale or better known as yard sale to our North American friends. You know the drill; rummage through everything you own and sort them into three piles…cherish, charity and chuck, then sell what you can for a nail biting fraction of the price.

Last weekend, after a week of fierce spring cleaning, I set up my garage into a makeshift store with all manner of things from old cd’s to furniture. I even managed to pry some old stuffed toys from my bowerbird of a daughter. She eventually came around to my ruthless ways, but got a little too excited and started clearing out half of her wardrobe. Noticing her gusto and realising she now only possessed a swimming costume, her school uniform and a few t-shirts, I gently explained to her that this was not a charity for the homeless and that she might want to wear something other than her school uniform throughout the summer holidays. With an ‘oh yeah’ and a sigh, she dutifully hung up her now wrinkled clothes.

Needing a display table I hauled in the outdoor setting complete with umbrella to look like a market. I worked really well, however, next time I think I’ll just stick a ‘sold’ sticker on it to save my breath. With the garage all set-up and hand painted sheets of cardboard taped to telegraph poles heralding our new store, we were ready for customers. Much to my flat mate’s annoyance I hauled the stereo into the garage and played ‘customer friendly’ music (on repeat). Hey, who doesn’t like Buena Vista Social Club?

People meandered in and out all day and found a hundred and one little bargains. My daughter and my little sister stood out the front waving signs they painted, slurped on ice blocks and brought in many more customers. They just loved being part of the entire process. In one weekend they learned advertising, setting up, pricing, selling, customer service, barter negotiation, seeing the job through and cleaning up, and all with a reward at the end for their hard work.

We sold much more than we anticipated, however, with so much still to go, we are holding another one this weekend. My gorgeous grandma and aunty are already thinking of what they can get rid of to add to the mix. I was surprised at the amount of Christmas spending money that was tied up in old forgotten knick knacks around the house. Get moving and clear out that attic, that spare room, that GARAGE and have a spring clean with a pleasant return. Not only will you make a small fortune and meet new people in your neighbourhood, you will have an entire day with one goal that the whole family can work towards together.

Enjoy!

Michaela.